Fusible cut-out for electric connections



(No Model.)

W. E. DOW. FUSIBLE OUT-OUT FOR ELEOTRIG CONNECTIONS.

No. 451,997. Patented May 12,1891.

Dillaralflflom UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLARD E. DOIV, OF BRAINTREE, lllASSAOIlUSETTS.

FUSIBLE CUT-OUT FOR ELECTRIC CONNECTIONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,997, dated May 12,1891.

Application filed December 4,1890. Serial No. 373,590- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLARD E. Dow, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of the town of Braintree, in the county ofNorfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Fusible Out-outs for Electric Connections, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to electric fusible cut-outs, and it is moreespecially designed for use in connection with the circuit-wires of anincandescent electric light, and it is particularly applicable in thatrelation with the light suspended from a drop capable of being raisedand lowered within given limits and supported wherever placed.

The electric fusible cut-out of this invention in substance is composedof a block of insulating material, preferably hard vulcanizedindia-rubber and cylindrical, and having a side enlargement intermediateof its opposite ends, preferably a continuous flange of circularoutline, and two radial slots, one on each side and for the full widthof said flange and both open at the periphery and opposite sides of saidflange and ending at or near the block, in combination with metallicplates or such like, held in pairs on opposite sides of the block andone of each pair at each side and crossing the slots of its saidperipheral flange, wires of an electric circuit held in electric contactwith each of said plates, and fusible electric wires, one for eachcircuit length of electric wire, and each of which at its opposite endsis held in electric contact with said metallic plates and lieslengthwise within a slot of the peripheral flange of, but preferably outof contact with, the insulated block.

Furthermore, this invention consists, in combination with the above, ofa metallic shell adapted to incase said insulating-block with its flangeand electric attachments, all as explained, and also for the passageinto and out of it end to end of the wire-lengths of the electriccircuit.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure l is a sideelevation of part of a gas or electric-light fixture and partially aside elevation and a vertical sect-ion of the electric fusible cnt-outof this invention held thereon, and also a side view of an incandescentelectric light and a drop for it. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the electricfusible cut-out and its casing detached. Fig. 3 is a side elevation ofthe electric fusible cut-out. Fig. 4 is a central vertical section, line4 l, Fig. 2.

In the drawings, A is a block of insulating material, preferably hardvulcanized indiarubber and cylindrical, and A is an enlargement, shownas a projecting flange about the block A and intermediate of its length.The block A and its flange A preferably are of one piece.

B B are radial slots at opposite sides of the blocleflange A These slotsare open at the periphery and at each side B B" of the flange A and eachterminates preferably at the periphery of the block A.

O C and D D are two pairs of metal orsuch like plates, and those of eachpair are held on opposite sides of the block and one pair atone side andthe other pair at the other side of its peripheral flange, and theysever ally extend across the slots of the flange.

E E and F F are the lengths of wire to make an electric circuit-forinstance, including therewith the carbon filament a of an incandescentelectric light G. The lengths E F and E F are those of each pair,respectively, held in electric contact by screws 1) with the metalplates C D and C D ,respectively.

H II are electric fusible cut-out wires or such like, each held at itsopposite ends by screws d on the plates 0 D and C Dflrespectively, andthus completing the electric con nection of each length of the electriccircuit. Each fusible cut-out wire II II lies within a slot 13 Brespectively, and extends from side 13 to side l3 of the flange A of theblock A, and all connections of the fusible cut-out and other electricwires to the metal plates, as has been explained, are on the block A ateach side of it and its flange.

It is obvious that the insulating-block A and its slotted enlargement orperipheral flange A furnishes not only a most complete and convenientdevice for the electric connections, as described, but at the same timeaffords protection to the electric fusible cutouts and allows them to bereadily replaced, as may be desired or required. The ad visablhty andnecessity of electric fusible cut outs in electric circuits are so wellknown as to require no mention.

Obviously the enlargement of the block (particularly shown as acontinuous flange A?) maybe disconnected sections, one at each side ofthe block, as shown by and between the dotted lines, Fig. 2, at eachside of the periphery of the flange.

J is a metallic cone-shaped shell, at its larger end J 2 open and at itssmaller end havmg an opening J suitable for the passage of twowire-lengths of an electric circuit, each length being suitablyinsulated and wound spirally about each other. The opening J ispreferably lined with an insulating; material .I", such as india-rubber,hard or soft,vulcanized, so as to prevent electric connection with theshell should the insulation of the wires of the circuit Wear so as toexpose the wires. lhe larger and open end J of the shell J receives theelectric wires of the circuit, and it is quite useful for theattachn'ient of the shell, as may be desiredas, for instance, as shownin Fig. 1assisted by the further attachment of the insulating-block A toa fixed part L of the gas-fixture M by means of a fixed screw-threadedprojection N of said part L, on which the block by its axialscrew-threaded socket 0 is screwed, the said block being also secured tothe shell by screws f at quartering or other points thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patcut, is

1. In an electric cutout, an insulatingblock A and its annularinsulating enlargement A having radial slots 13 B in combination withmetallic plates on opposite sides of said block and enlargement andelectriccircuit and fusible cut-out wires held on said plates and thelatter lyingin said slots B B substantially as described, for thepurposes specified.

2. In an electric cut-out, an insulatingbloel: A and its insulatingenlargement A having radial slots B metallic plates on opposite sides ofsaid block and enlargement, and electric-circuit and fusible cut-outwires held on said plates and the latter lying in said slots B B incombination with a shell J, adapted to incase said block, itsenlargement, and their said attachments and open at its opposite endsfor the passage of the electric circuit wires therethrough, means forattaching said block to the shell, and an insulatinglining of the openend of the shell J and at which the electric-circuit wires pass outthereof, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLARD E. DOW.

Witnesses:

KLBER'r W. BROWN, FRANCES M. BRowN.

